As it approaches five years at Tysons Corner Center, Cha Street Food is shaking up its drink offerings with a new cafe concept.
The Pakistani restaurant will officially launch Cha Cafe tonight (Thursday) with a DJ and free drinks for the first 50 customers to stop by, starting at 7 p.m.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved the elimination of two Fairfax Connector bus routes and reduced schedules on more than a dozen others to trim $7.3 million in budget costs.
The vote on Tuesday (May 5) was unanimous but, in several cases, unenthusiastic.
Help Wanted With Fire Investigation — Investigators are seeking tips from the public about anyone who might’ve been in the area of a vacant, one-story building in the 11100 block of Popes Head Road near Fairfax Station on or before the weekend of May 3, when it caught fire. “There was evidence that the location had been used previously by trespassers starting campfires or performing general vandalism.” [FCFRD]
FBI Raid on Va. Senate Leader’s Office — The FBI searched the Virginia Senate President L. Louise Lucas’s “hometown office and her neighboring cannabis shop Wednesday, bringing into public view what two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press was a corruption investigation. One of the people said the investigation … was opened during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration.” [Associated Press]
Kayaker Who Died in Potomac River Identified — “The kayaker who died after falling out of his boat in the Potomac River [near Great Falls] on Sunday has been identified as 22-year-old William Lankford from Lynchburg … Maryland Natural Resources Police are leading the investigation; an autopsy will be conducted to determine cause of death.” [WTOP]
Town Hall on Ranked Choice Voting — “As ranked choice voting becomes increasingly more popular, Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn will hold a town hall meeting on May 11 to discuss this voting method and what it could mean for Fairfax County.” The town hall at the North County Governmental Center in Reston will feature Arlington’s elections director and the executive director of the democracy reform organization UpVote Virginia. [Hunter Mill District Office]
Reston Cybersecurity Business Closing — NeoSystems, a cybersecurity firm that supports defense contractors, “is shutting down, raising concerns about impacts on companies that depend on it to maintain Pentagon compliance.” Jeff Huckle, president of the 26-year-old company, told employees in a letter last Friday (May 1) that a “deteriorating financial condition” left “no viable options” for continuing operations. [Washington Business Journal]
Reston Space Company Plans New Facility — “Scout Space, a Reston developer of in-space observation systems, said Wednesday it has raised $18 million in Series A funding to support expansion of its manufacturing, including the buildout of new Northern Virginia facility … The company said its new manufacturing facility will span 2,600 square feet” but didn’t share the location. [WBJ]
County Rec Centers Host Open House — “Bring friends and family to tour and try out any of the Park Authority’s Rec Centers all day [today] for free with sign up. Stop by between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. for special programming, such as fitness demonstrations, sample classes, a membership table with arts and crafts, and other fun activities depending on the location.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Dog Celebration Returns to Chantilly — “Dog lovers, mark your calendars: Park and Bark returns Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly. The free, dog- and family-friendly festival takes place on the lawn outside the Walney Visitor Center at 5040 Walney Rd.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — There is a 30% chance of showers in the afternoon, with cloudy skies transitioning to mostly sunny and a high near 65°F. Thursday night will see mostly cloudy conditions clearing to a low around 48°F. [NWS]
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The Trump administration has launched an investigation into the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office over its handling of cases involving undocumented immigrants as defendants.
The Justice Department notified Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano today (Wednesday) that it has opened an investigation into his office’s policy advising prosecutors to consider defendants’ immigration status when making decisions about plea agreements, charges and sentencing.
A new play area for kids that will also offer their parents sustenance is taking shape at Tysons Corner Center.
Tiny’s Corner Play Cafe is in the process of obtaining permits to build out an approximately 3,000-square-foot store on the mall’s second floor. The business will be located in Unit D9U in the former Lord & Taylor wing, next door to United Barber and the future Dick’s House of Sport.
McLean Day is always highly anticipated by local residents, drawing more than 10,000 attendees annually. But this year, the celebration will take on an extra-patriotic tenor with nods to the U.S.’s 250th birthday.
Set to return to Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the annual festival will open its 111th year with a performance by the McLean Community Players — possibly a preview of their upcoming summer production of “1776,” the musical retelling of the Second Continental Congress and signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Elevated Gas Prices Continue — “Virginia drivers are feeling more pressure at the gas pump. And fuel prices continue to rise. The average fuel cost in Virginia has risen to above $4 per gallon, according to AAA data. Prices are the highest they’ve been since late July 2022,” driven by the ongoing war in Iran. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Potomac Water Quality Improving After Spill — “Heading into the summer, environmental advocates are stressing the importance of continued water quality monitoring along the Potomac River, even as months of testing has shown E. coli levels are back to normal following January’s massive sewage spill.” [WTOP]
Va. Opposes USPS Gun Mailing Plan — “Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on Tuesday joined 21 other states in opposing a proposed United States Postal Service rule that would allow certain firearms to be sent through the mail, warning the change could undermine state gun laws and make it easier for prohibited individuals to obtain weapons.” [Virginia Mercury]
Millions Dropped From SNAP Benefits — “At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from the federal government to states, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.” [Maryland Matters]
Transmission Upgrades Slowing Energy Projects — “Costs and delays related to upgrading transmission infrastructure are blocking new power sources from getting onto the grid in Virginia, according to a new analysis … It found that 103 power plants in Virginia have withdrawn or been significantly delayed by network upgrade bottlenecks since 2018, mostly clean energy projects.” [VPM News]
Italian Restaurant Expanding to Herndon — “Exciting news for the team at a popular Italian restaurant in Loudoun County – they are expanding and opening a new location in Herndon … The owners of Urbano Modern Italian announced they will be bringing a new restaurant to the Woodland Park Crossing shopping center.” [The Burn]
Teacher Wins Lottery Jackpot — “A Fairfax County teacher won a $986,399 jackpot in the Virginia Lottery’s The Lamp: Dark Arts online game after deciding to play on his wife’s birthday, according to a Virginia Lottery press release. The winner, who was not identified, later told his wife during a walk that he had a gift for her,” calling the winnings “truly life changing.” [Patch]
Scholarships Awarded to Local Students — “Some of the students honored at the Hispanic Leadership Alliance awards ceremony on May 4 are the first in their families to go to college, others came to the U.S. alone, and some just learned English a couple of years ago.” The organization “presented $1,000 scholarships to 29 Fairfax County seniors at a banquet at the FCPS Willow Oaks Administrative Center.” [Annandale Today]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license for wine and beer, on/off-premises. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — There’s an 80% chance of rain with showers and possible thunderstorms likely after 5 pm, with a high near 77°F, and south winds at 15 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. At night, showers and possibly thunderstorms will continue. The low will be around 55°F. [NWS]
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With the weather warming up, the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) is encouraging local residents and workers to explore the area on two wheels instead of four.
For National Bike Month, the community development organization has launched a “Tysons Trek & Treat” challenge where commuters can win prizes for traveling via bike, walking, scooter or other methods of transportation that don’t involve sitting alone in a car.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors formally adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget this morning (Tuesday), while also setting a future public hearing on local control of speed limits in some areas.
The board set a June 9 public hearing on a proposed ordinance that, if enacted, would give the county more autonomy to reduce speed limits in residential and business districts.
James Madison High School alum Bryce Eldridge is getting another shot at the majors after he was called up yesterday (Monday) by the San Francisco Giants.
A slugging and pitching star for the Warhawks, which won two state championships during his career, Eldridge was drafted by the Giants in 2023 with the 16th overall pick.
